Grafting of Multifunctional Polymer Brushes from a Glass Surface: Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization as a Versatile Tool for Biomedical Materials Engineering

Abstract

The unique features of poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA), such as its sensitivity to external stimuli like pH and the presence of tertiary amine groups that can be easily quaternized to introduce antibacterial properties, make it a promising platform for biomedical applications. In this contribution, a facile, cost-effective, and ecological procedure for controlled grafting of PDMAEMA brushes from a glass surface, both in mL and µL scale, is developed. This concept involves utilizing an aqueous solution of sunflower honey as a source of reducing sugars to accelerate surface-initiated activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization. The PDMAEMA chains covalently grafted to the glass surface are then quaternized to form an antibacterial film. The thickness of the polymeric brush layer is determined by atomic force microscopy, while the chemical composition is analyzed by time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Water contact angle measurements demonstrate the pH-sensitivity of PDMAEMA pointing out the potential application of the prepared material as smart surfaces. Furthermore, the antibacterial tests against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains are performed. The protein adsorption is used to evaluate the biocompatibility of the prepared surfaces. The resulting glass materials can serve as multifunctional surfaces for various purposes.